the pathfinder-第6章

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friend　mariner；　without　thinking　of　this　great　ally；　who
can　do　more　in　battle　than　all　the　battalions　of　the　60th；
were　they　brought　into　a　single　line。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　this　may　do　well　enough　for　a　scouter；　but　we
seamen　like　our　offing；　and　to　go　into　action　with　nothing
in　our　minds　but　the　business　before　us　　plain　broadside
and　broadside　work；　and　no　trees　or　rocks　to　thicken　the
water。〃

〃And　no　Lord　too；　I　dare　to　say；　if　the　truth　were
known。　　Take　my　word　for　it；　Master　Cap；　that　no　battle
is　the　worse　fi't　for　having　the　Lord　on　your　side。　　Look
at　the　head　of　the　Big　Sarpent；　there；　you　can　see　the
mark　of　a　knife　all　along　by　his　left　ear：　now　nothing　but
a　bullet　from　this　log　rifle　of　mine　saved　his　scalp　that
day；　for　it　had　fairly　started；　and　half　a　minute　more
would　have　left　him　without　the　war…lock。　　When　the
Mohican　squeezes　my　hand；　and　intermates　that　I　be…
friended　him　in　that　matter；　I　tell　him　no；　it　was　the　Lord
who　led　me　to　the　only　spot　where　execution　could　be
done；　or　his　necessity　be　made　known；　on　account　of　the
smoke。　　Sartain；　when　I　got　the　right　position；　I　finished
the　affair　of　my　own　accord。　　For　a　friend　under　the
tomahawk　is　apt　to　make　a　man　think　quick　and　act　at
once；　as　was　my　case；　or　the　Sarpent's　spirit　would　be
hunting　in　the　happy　land　of　his　people　at　this　very　mo…
ment。〃

〃Come；　come；　Pathfinder；　this　palaver　is　worse　than
being　skinned　from　stem　to　stem；　we　have　but　a　few　hours
of　sun；　and　had　better　be　drifting　down　this　said　current
of　yours　while　we　may。　　Magnet　dear；　are　you　not　ready
to　get　under　way？〃

Magnet　started；　blushed　brightly；　and　made　her　prep…
arations　for　immediate　departure。　　Not　a　syllable　of　the
discourse　just　related　had　she　heard；　for　Eau…douce；　as
young　Jasper　was　oftener　called　than　anything　else；　had
been　filling　her　ears　with　a　description　of　the　yet　distant
part　towards　which　she　was　journeying；　with　accounts　of
her　father；　whom　she　had　not　seen　since　a　child；　and　with
the　manner　of　life　of　those　who　lived　in　the　frontier　gar…
risons。　　Unconsciously　she　had　become　deeply　interested；
and　her　thoughts　had　been　too　intently　directed　to　these
matters　to　allow　any　of　the　less　agreeable　subjects　dis…
cussed　by　those　so　near　to　reach　her　ears。　　The　bustle　of
departure　put　an　end　to　the　conversation；　and；　the　bag…
gage　of　the　scouts　or　guides　being　trifling；　in　a　few　minutes
the　whole　party　was　ready　to　proceed。　　As　they　were　about
to　quit　the　spot；　however；　to　the　surprise　of　even　his
fellow…guides；　Pathfinder　collected　a　quantity　of　branches
and　threw　them　upon　the　embers　of　the　fire；　taking　care
even　to　see　that　some　of　the　wood　was　damp；　in　order　to
raise　as　dark　and　dense　a　smoke　as　possible。

〃When　you　can　hide　your　trail；　Jasper；〃　said　he；　〃a
smoke　at　leaving　an　encampment　may　do　good　instead　of
harm。　　If　there　are　a　dozen　Mingos　within　ten　miles　of
us；　some　on　'em　are　on　the　heights；　or　in　the　trees；　look…
ing　out　for　smokes；　let　them　see　this；　and　much　good　may
it　do　them。　　They　are　welcome　to　our　leavings。〃

〃But　may　they　not　strike　and　follow　on　our　trail？〃
asked　the　youth；　whose　interest　in　the　hazard　of　his　situa…
tion　had　much　increased　since　the　meeting　with　Magnet。
〃We　shall　leave　a　broad　path　to　the　river。〃

〃The　broader　the　better；　when　there；　it　will　surpass
Mingo　cunning；　even；　to　say　which　way　the　canoe　has　gone
…　up　stream　or　down。　　Water　is　the　only　thing　in　natur'
that　will　thoroughly　wash　out　a　trail；　and　even　water　will
not　always　do　it　when　the　scent　is　strong。　　Do　you　not　see；
Eau…douce；　that　if　any　Mingos　have　seen　our　path　below
the　falls；　they　will　strike　off　towards　this　smoke；　and　that
they　will　naturally　conclude　that　they　who　began　by　going
up　stream　will　end　by　going　up　stream。　　If　they　know
anything；　they　now　know　a　party　is　out　from　the　fort；　and
it　will　exceed　even　Mingo　wit　to　fancy　that　we　have　come
up　here　just　for　the　pleasure　of　going　back　again；　and
that；　too；　the　same　day；　and　at　the　risk　of　our　scalps。〃

〃Certainly；〃　added　Jasper；　who　was　talking　apart　with
the　Pathfinder；　as　they　moved　towards　the　wind…row；
〃they　cannot　know　anything　about　the　Sergeant's　daugh…
ter；　for　the　greatest　secrecy　has　been　observed　on　her　ac…
count。〃

〃And　they　will　learn　nothing　here；〃　returned　Path…
finder；　causing　his　companion　to　see　that　he　trod　with　the
utmost　care　on　the　impression　left　on　the　leaves　by　the
little　foot　of　Mabel；　〃unless　this　old　salt…water　fish　has
been　taking　his　niece　about　in　the　wind…row；　like　a　fa'n
playing　by　the　side　of　the　old　doe。〃

〃Buck；　you　mean；　Pathfinder。〃

〃Isn't　he　a　queerity？　　Now　I　can　consort　with　such　a
sailor　as　yourself；　Eau…douce；　and　find　nothing　very　con…
trary　in　our　gifts；　though　yours　belong　to　the　lakes　and
mine　to　the　woods。　　Hark'e；　Jasper；〃　continued　the　scout；
laughing　in　his　noiseless　manner；　〃suppose　we　try　the
temper　of　his　blade　and　run　him　over　the　falls？〃

〃And　what　would　be　done　with　the　pretty　niece　in　the
meanwhile？〃

〃Nay；　nay；　no　harm　shall　come　to　her；　she　must　walk
round　the　portage；　at　any　rate；　but　you　and　I　can　try　this
Atlantic　oceaner；　and　then　all　parties　will　become　better
acquainted。　　We　shall　find　out　whether　his　flint　will　strike
fire；　and　he　may　come　to　know　something　of　frontier
tricks。〃

Young　Jasper　smiled；　for　he　was　not　averse　to　fun；　and
had　been　a　little　touched　by　Cap's　superciliousness；　but
Mabel's　fair　face；　light；　agile　form；　and　winning　smiles；
stood　like　a　shield　between　her　uncle　and　the　intended
experiment。

〃Perhaps　the　Sergeant's　daughter　will　be　frightened；〃
said　he。

〃Not　she；　if　she　has　any　of　the　Sergeant's　spirit　in　her。
She　doesn't　look　like　a　skeary　thing；　at　all。　　Leave　it　to
me；　then；　Eau…douce；　and　I　will　manage　the　affair　alone。〃

〃Not　you；　Pathfinder；　you　would　only　drown　both。　　If
the　canoe　goes　over；　I　must　go　in　it。〃

〃Well；　have　it　so；　then：　shall　we　smoke　the　pipe　of
agreement　on　the　bargain？〃

Jasper　laughed；　nodded　his　head　by　way　of　consent；　and
then　the　subject　was　dropped；　as　the　party　had　reached
the　canoe　so　often　mentioned；　and　fewer　words　had　de…
termined　much　greater　things　between　the　parties。



CHAPTER　III。

Before　these　fields　were　shorn　and　till'd；
　　　Full　to　the　brim　our　rivers　flow'd；
The　melody　of　waters　fill'd
　　　The　fresh　and　boundless　wood；
And　torrents　dash'd；　and　rivulets　play'd；
And　fountains　spouted　in　the　shade。
BRYANT。


It　is　generally　known　that　the　waters　which　flow　into
the　southern　side　of　Ontario　are；　in　general；　narrow；　slug…
gish；　and　deep。　　There　are　some　exceptions　to　this　rule；
for　many　of　the　rivers　have　rapids；　or；　as　they　are　termed
in　the　language　of　the　region；　〃rifts；〃　and　some　have　falls。
Among　the　latter　was　the　particular　stream　on　which　our
adventurers　were　now　journeying。　　The　Oswego　is　formed
by　the　junction　of　the　Oneida　and　the　Onondaga；　both　of
wbich　flow　from　lakes；　and　it　pursues　its　way；　through　a
gently　undulating　country；　some　eight　or　ten　miles；　until
it　reaches　the　margin　of　a　sort　of　natural　terrace；　down
which　it　tumbles　some　ten　or　fifteen　feet；　to　another　level；
across　which　it　glides　with　the　silent；　stealthy　progress　of
deep　water；　until　it　throws　its　tribute　into　the　broad　re…
ceptacle　of　the　Ontario。　　The　canoe　in　which　Cap　and　his
party　had　travelled　from　Fort　Stanwix；　the　last　military
station　of　the　Mohawk；　lay　by　the　side　of　this　river；　and
into　it　the　whole　party　now　entered；　with　the　exception　of
Pathfinder；　who　remained　on　the　land；　in　order　to　shove
the　light　vessel　off。

〃Let　her　starn　drift　down　stream；　Jasper；〃　said　the
man　of　the　woods　to　the　young　mariner　of　the　lake；　who
had　dispossessed　Arrowhead　of　his　paddle　and　taken　his
own　station　as　steersman；　〃let　it　go　down　with　the　cur…
rent。　　Should　any　of　these　infarnals；　the　Mingos；　strike
our　trail；　or　follow　it　to　this　point　they　will　not　fail　to
look　for　the　signs　in　the　mud；　and　if　they　discover
that　we　have　left　the　shore　with　the　nose　of　the　canoe
up　stream；　it　is　a　natural　belief　to　think　we　went　up
stream。〃

This　direction　was　followed；　and；　giving　a　vigorous
shove；　the　Pathfinder；　who　was　in　the　flower　of　his　strength
and　activity；　made　a　leap；　landing　lightly；　and　without
disturbing　its　equilibrium；　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe。　　As
soon　as　it　had　reached　the　centre　of　the　river　or　the
strength　of　the　current；　the　boat　was　turned；　and　it　began
to　glide　noiselessly　down　the　stream。

The　vessel　in　which　Cap　and　his　niece　had　embarked　for
their　long　and　adventurous　journey　was　one　of　the　canoes
of　bark　which　the　Indians　are　in　the　habit　of　constructing；
and　which；　by　their　exceeding　lightness　and　the　ease　with
which　they　are　propelled；　are　admirably　adapted　to　a
navigation　in　which　shoals；　flood…wood；　and　other　similar
obstructions　so　often　occur。　　The　two　men　who　composed
its　original　crew　had　several　times　carried　it；　when　emptied
of　its　luggage；　many　hundred　yards；　and　it　would　not　have
exceeded　the　strength　of　a　single　man　to　lift　its　weight。
Still　it　was　long；　and；　for　a　canoe；　wide；　a　want　of　steadi…
ness　being　its　principal　defect　in　the　eyes　of　the　unin…
itiated。　　A　few　hours　practice；　however；　in　a　great　measure
remedied　this　evil；　and　both　Mabel　and　her　uncle　had
learned　so　far　to　humor　its　movements；　that　they　now
maintained　their　places　with　perfect　composure；　nor　did
the　additional　weight　of　the　three　guides　tax　its　power　in
any　particular　degree；　the　breath　of　the　rounded　bottom
allowing　the　necessary　quantity　of　water　to　be　displaced
without　bringing　the　gunwale　very　sensibly　nearer　to　the
surface　of　the　stream。　　Its　workmanship　was　neat；　the
timbers　were　small；　and　secured　by　thongs；　and　the　whole
fabric；　though　it　was　so　slight　to　the　eye；　was　probably
capable　of　conveying　double　the　number　of　persons　which
it　now　contained。

Cap　was　seated　on　a　low　thwart；　in　the　centre　of　the
canoe；　the　Big　Serpent　knelt　near　him。　　Arrowhead　and
his　wife　occupied　places　forward　of　both；　the　former　hav…
ing　relinquished　his　post　aft。　　Mabel　was　half　reclining
behind　her　uncle；　while　the　Pathfinder　and　Eau…douce
stood　erect；　the　one　in　the　bow；　and　the　other　in　the　stern；
each　using　a　paddle；　with　a　long；　steady；　noiseless　sweep。
The　conversation　was　carried　on　in　low　tones；　all　the　party
beginning　to　feel　the　necessity　of　prudence；　as　they　drew
nearer　to　the　outskirts　of　the　fort；　and　had　no　longer　the
cover　of　the　woods。

The　Oswego；　just　at　that　place；　was　a　deep　dark　stream
of　no　great　width；　its　still；　gloomy…looking　current　wind…
ing　its　way　among　overhanging　trees；　which；　in　particular
spots；　almost　shut　out　the　light　of　the　heavens。　　Here　and
there　some　half…fallen　giant　of　the　forest　lay　nearly　across
its　surface；　rendering　care　necessary　to　avoid　the　limbs；
and　most　of　the　distance；　the　lower　branches　and　leaves　of
the　trees　of　smaller　growth　were　laved　by　its　waters。　　The
picture　so　beautifully　described　by　our　own　admirable
poet；　and　which　we　have　placed　at　the　head　of　this　chapter；
was　here　realized；　the　earth　fattened　by　the　decayed
vegetation　of　centuries；　and　black　with　loam；　the　stream
that　filled　the　banks　nearly　to　overflowing；　and　the　〃fresh
and　boundles